Japanese Occupation of Singapore
Encyclopedia
The Japanese occupation of Singapore
in World War II
occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan
occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australia
n, British
, Indian
and Malayan
garrison in the Battle of Singapore
. The occupation was to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of Japan, Britain and the then-colonial state of Singapore. Singapore was renamed to Syonanto , which means "Southern Island gained in the age of Shōwa
". The name is frequently mistranslated as "Light of the South", even in the Singaporean textbooks.
Singapore was officially returned to British colonial rule on 12 September 1945, following the formal signing of the surrender instrument at the Municipal Building
.
during the Malayan Campaign in little more than two months. The garrison defending Singapore surrendered only a week after the invasion of Singapore commenced. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
called the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history."
(Japanese military secret police
) committed numerous atrocities against the common people. They introduced the system of "Sook Ching
", which means "purge through purification", to get rid of those deemed as anti-Japanese. The Sook Ching Massacre claimed the lives of between 25,000 and 50,000 ethnic Chinese in Singapore and Malaya. These men were rounded up and taken to deserted spots around the island and killed systematically. Besides, the Kempeitai established a network of informers around the island to help them identify those who were anti-Japanese. These informers were well-paid by the Kempeitai and had no fear of being arrested. Japanese soldiers patrolled the streets and commoners had to bow to them when they passed by. Those who failed to do so would be beaten and some people would be taken away.
. For example, the price of rice increased from $5 per 100 catties
(about 60 kg or 132.3 lb) to $5000. The Japanese issued ration cards to limit the amount of resources received by the civilian population. Adults could purchase 4.8 kg (10.6 lb) of rice per month and 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) for children. The amount of rice for adults was reduced by 25% as the war progressed.
The Japanese issued banana money
as their main currency since Straits currency
became rare. The Japanese instituted elements of a command economy
in which there were restrictions on the demand and supply of resources, thus creating a popular black market. The "banana currency" started to suffer from high inflation and dropped drastically in value because the authorities would simply print more whenever they needed more money; consequently the black market often used Straits currency.
Food quality and availability decreased greatly. Tapioca
, sweet potato
es and yam
became the staple food
of most diets of Singaporeans because they were considerably cheaper than rice and could also be grown in gardens. They were then turned into a variety of dishes, as both dessert and all three meals of the day. The nutrients helped stave off starvation
, and new ways of consuming tapioca with other produce were regularly invented in order to stave off the monotony. Both the British and Japanese authorities encouraged the population to grow their own food
if they had even the smallest amount of land, the encouragement and produce were similar to what occurred with victory garden
s in the Western nations during World War II. Ipomoea aquatica
, which grew relatively easy and flourished relatively well near the water, became a popular crop, as did other vegetables.
unit known as Z Force
led by Major Ivan Lyon
infiltrated Singapore Harbour and sank or damaged seven Japanese ships
comprising over 39000 long tons (39,626 MT). Lyon led another operation, codenamed Rimau
, with the same objective almost a year later and sank three ships. Lyon and 13 of his men were killed after the Japanese discovered them. The other 10 who participated in the operation were charged with espionage
in a kangaroo court
and subsequently executed.
Lim Bo Seng
of Force 136
led another operation, code named Gustavus, to establish an espionage network in Malaya and Singapore and gather intelligence about Japanese forces for the Allies. However, Operation Gustavus failed and Lim was captured along with his men. Lim died in prison due to ill-treatment.
In August 1945, two midget submarines
of the Royal Navy
took part in Operation Struggle, a plan to infiltrate Singapore Harbour and sabotage the Japanese cruisers and using limpet mine
s. They inflicted heavy damage on Takao, earning Lieutenant Ian Edward Fraser
the Victoria Cross
. From November 1944 to May 1945, Singapore was subjected to bombing raids
by British and American long-range bomber units.
After the fall of Singapore, General Yamashita in the subsequent months sought to build a memorial for the Japanese troops who had died during the Malayan campaign. British prisoners-of-war interned in the Changi Gaol and troops of the Japanese Army worked together to construct the Shinto Shrine, Syonan Jinja, at MacRitchie Reservoir which stood near the centre of the heat of battle for Singapore. Work on the construction of the shrine had begun as early as April 1942, at the west end of the forest that surrounded MacRitchie Reservoir. The site of the Shrine necessitated the felling of a remarkable patch of original, primeval forest, a great loss to the botanical world.
Halfway through the construction, a Colonel in the Japanese Army suggested a parallel shrine be built for the Allies. With Yamashita's concession, Australian troops were recruited to build the Allied Cross which stood behind the Shinto Shrine. On 10 September, both monuments were unveiled. The Japanese had also built another shrine, the Syonan Chureito off Jalan Sesuai at Bukit Batok.
Immediately after the Japanese Surrender and the return of the British forces in 1945, the Shinto Shrine, the Bukit Batok War Memorial (Syonan Chureito) and the British War Memorial behind it, both located at Upper Bukit Timah Road were demolished by the British forces. The remains of the Japanese were moved to the Japanese cemetery.
Plans to rebuild the memorials to remember both the Japanese and Allied fallen were discussed in the 1990s but were shelved in 1991 because of sensitivities toward those who had suffered under the Japanese. Today, a transmitting tower stands at the site of the original monuments. On 9 July 1995, a plaque was unveiled by MP Ong Chit Chung at the Bukit Batok Nature Park as a memorial instead.
The shrine's design was based on the famed Yasukuni Shrine in Japan. The Yasukuni Shrine dates back to 1869 and has been the resting place for more than 2.466 million Japanese soldiers who died for their country, serving as a national symbol to remember those who died in both World Wars. Reflecting its design, the Shinto shrine was a 12 m (39.4 ft) tall cylindrical wooden pylon, its peak tipped with a brass cone. At the base of the pylon, in a small shed-like shrine were the remains of the fallen Japanese. In front of the monument was a font which visitors would take a sip from using a long-handled ladle. Shinto meaning "the way of the gods" is the native faith of the Japanese and is primarily pantheistic. It is necessary to cleanse oneself before approaching a Shinto Shrine for prayers, thus the provision of the font. A Japanese bridge was built across an arm of the reservoir to bring visitors to the secluded Shrine hidden behind the trees. The Shinto followers believe that "divine spirits" or kami reside in nature and thus the location of the Syonan Shinto Shrine in the midst of the forest.
On 6 and 9 August 1945, U.S. B-29 bombers dropped two atomic bombs
on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki
. On 8 August 1945, Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki along with the entry of Soviet Union into the war ended the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia
. By then, the Japanese allowed the Allies to send in forces and food supplies. Prisoners-of-war
were checked by medical officers and arrangements were made to send them home.
On 15 August, Japan announced its surrender. The formal signing of the surrender instrument was held at City Hall, Singapore
, then known as "Municipal Hall", on 12 September. This was followed by a celebration at the Padang
, which included a victory parade. Lord Louis Mountbatten
, Supreme Allied Commander
of South East Asia Command
, came to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi. A British military administration utilizing surrendered Japanese troops as security forces was formed to govern the island until March 1946.
After the Japanese surrender, there was a state of anomie
in Singapore, as the British had not yet arrived to take control. The Japanese occupiers had a considerably weakened hold over the populace. There were widespread incidents of looting
and revenge-killing. Much of the infrastructure had been wrecked, including the harbour facilities and electricity, water supply, and telephone services. It took four or five years for the economy to return to pre-war levels. When British troops finally arrived they met with cheering and fanfare.
Banana money became worthless after the occupation ended. Many individuals who had acquired their wealth through banana currency were rendered penniless overnight.
} The Heroes (1988), An Australian-British co-productionhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095297/
} Heroes II: The Return (1991), An Australian Miniserieshttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099765/
} The Last Rhythm (1996), Television Corporation of Singapore
} The Price of Peace
(1997), Television Corporation of Singapore
} A War Diary
(2001), MediaCorp TV (Singapore)
} In Pursuit of Peace
(2001), MediaCorp TV (Singapore)
} Changi (2001), Australian Broadcasting Corporation
}Minami Jujisei (The Southern Cross also known as The Highest Honour and Heroes of the Krait) (1982), A Japanese-Australian co-production http://www.allmovie.com/work/minami-jujisei-157620http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/354643
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Indian
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and Malayan
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
garrison in the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
. The occupation was to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of Japan, Britain and the then-colonial state of Singapore. Singapore was renamed to Syonanto , which means "Southern Island gained in the age of Shōwa
Showa
Shōwa is the name of several places, times, people and things in Japan.* Hirohito , the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa...
". The name is frequently mistranslated as "Light of the South", even in the Singaporean textbooks.
Singapore was officially returned to British colonial rule on 12 September 1945, following the formal signing of the surrender instrument at the Municipal Building
City Hall, Singapore
The City Hall in Singapore is a national monument gazetted on 14 February 1992. Located in front of the historical Padang and next door to the Supreme Court of Singapore, it was designed and built by the architects of the municipal government, A. Gordans and F. D. Meadows from 1926 to 1929...
.
Events leading to the occupation
The Japanese took all of MalayaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
during the Malayan Campaign in little more than two months. The garrison defending Singapore surrendered only a week after the invasion of Singapore commenced. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
called the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history."
Reign of terror
The KempeitaiKempeitai
The was the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1881 to 1945. It was not an English-style military police, but a French-style gendarmerie...
(Japanese military secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
) committed numerous atrocities against the common people. They introduced the system of "Sook Ching
Sook Ching massacre
The Sook Ching massacre was a systematic extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, after the British colony surrendered on 15 February 1942 during the Second World War. Sook Ching was later...
", which means "purge through purification", to get rid of those deemed as anti-Japanese. The Sook Ching Massacre claimed the lives of between 25,000 and 50,000 ethnic Chinese in Singapore and Malaya. These men were rounded up and taken to deserted spots around the island and killed systematically. Besides, the Kempeitai established a network of informers around the island to help them identify those who were anti-Japanese. These informers were well-paid by the Kempeitai and had no fear of being arrested. Japanese soldiers patrolled the streets and commoners had to bow to them when they passed by. Those who failed to do so would be beaten and some people would be taken away.
Scarce basic necessities
Resources were scarce during the occupation. The prices of basic necessities increased drastically due to hyperinflationHyperinflation
In economics, hyperinflation is inflation that is very high or out of control. While the real values of the specific economic items generally stay the same in terms of relatively stable foreign currencies, in hyperinflationary conditions the general price level within a specific economy increases...
. For example, the price of rice increased from $5 per 100 catties
Catty
The catty , symbol 斤, is a traditional Chinese unit of mass used across East and Southeast Asia, notably for weighing food and other groceries in some wet markets, street markets, and shops. Related units include the picul, equal to 100 catties, and the tael, which is of a catty. A stone is a...
(about 60 kg or 132.3 lb) to $5000. The Japanese issued ration cards to limit the amount of resources received by the civilian population. Adults could purchase 4.8 kg (10.6 lb) of rice per month and 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) for children. The amount of rice for adults was reduced by 25% as the war progressed.
The Japanese issued banana money
Banana money
The Japanese government-issued dollar was a form of currency issued by Imperial Japan during the Japanese occupation of Singapore, Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei between 1942 and 1945...
as their main currency since Straits currency
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1904 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.-History:...
became rare. The Japanese instituted elements of a command economy
Planned economy
A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions regarding production and investment are embodied in a plan formulated by a central authority, usually by a government agency...
in which there were restrictions on the demand and supply of resources, thus creating a popular black market. The "banana currency" started to suffer from high inflation and dropped drastically in value because the authorities would simply print more whenever they needed more money; consequently the black market often used Straits currency.
Food quality and availability decreased greatly. Tapioca
Tapioca
Tapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...
, sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
es and yam
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
became the staple food
Staple food
A staple food is one that is eaten regularly and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a diet, and that supplies a high proportion of energy and nutrient needs. Most people live on a diet based on one or more staples...
of most diets of Singaporeans because they were considerably cheaper than rice and could also be grown in gardens. They were then turned into a variety of dishes, as both dessert and all three meals of the day. The nutrients helped stave off starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
, and new ways of consuming tapioca with other produce were regularly invented in order to stave off the monotony. Both the British and Japanese authorities encouraged the population to grow their own food
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
if they had even the smallest amount of land, the encouragement and produce were similar to what occurred with victory garden
Victory garden
Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply...
s in the Western nations during World War II. Ipomoea aquatica
Ipomoea aquatica
Ipomoea aquatica is a semi-aquatic tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. It is known in English as Water Spinach, Water Morning Glory, Water Convolvulus, or by the more ambiguous names "Chinese spinach" and "swamp cabbage". It has many other names in other languages, such as "Phak bung" in Thai...
, which grew relatively easy and flourished relatively well near the water, became a popular crop, as did other vegetables.
Allied attacks
Singapore was the target of various operations masterminded by Allied forces to disrupt Japanese military activities. On 26 September 1943, an Allied commandoCommando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
unit known as Z Force
Z Special Unit
Z Special Unit was a joint Allied special forces unit formed during the Second World War to operate behind Japanese lines in South East Asia...
led by Major Ivan Lyon
Ivan Lyon
Lieutenant-Colonel Ivan Lyon DSO, MBE was a British soldier and military intelligence agent during Second World War...
infiltrated Singapore Harbour and sank or damaged seven Japanese ships
Operation Jaywick
Operation Jaywick was a special operation undertaken in World War II. In September 1943, 14 commandos and sailors from the Z Special Unit raided Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, sinking seven ships.- Background :...
comprising over 39000 long tons (39,626 MT). Lyon led another operation, codenamed Rimau
Operation Rimau
Operation Rimau was an attack on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, carried out by an Allied commando unit Z Special Unit, during World War II using Australian built MKIII folboats. It was a follow-up to the successful Operation Jaywick, which had taken place in 1943, and Rimau, a shortened...
, with the same objective almost a year later and sank three ships. Lyon and 13 of his men were killed after the Japanese discovered them. The other 10 who participated in the operation were charged with espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
in a kangaroo court
Kangaroo court
A kangaroo court is "a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted".The outcome of a trial by kangaroo court is essentially determined in advance, usually for the purpose of ensuring conviction, either by going through the motions of manipulated procedure or...
and subsequently executed.
Lim Bo Seng
Lim Bo Seng
Lim Bo Seng was a World War II anti-Japanese resistance fighter based in Singapore and Malaya.-Family background and early life:...
of Force 136
Force 136
Force 136 was the general cover name for a branch of the British World War II organization, the Special Operations Executive . The organisation was established to encourage and supply resistance movements in enemy-occupied territory, and occasionally mount clandestine sabotage operations...
led another operation, code named Gustavus, to establish an espionage network in Malaya and Singapore and gather intelligence about Japanese forces for the Allies. However, Operation Gustavus failed and Lim was captured along with his men. Lim died in prison due to ill-treatment.
In August 1945, two midget submarines
XE class submarine
Six XE-class midget submarines were built for the Royal Navy during 1944. They were an improved version of the X Class midgets used in the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz....
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
took part in Operation Struggle, a plan to infiltrate Singapore Harbour and sabotage the Japanese cruisers and using limpet mine
Limpet mine
A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
s. They inflicted heavy damage on Takao, earning Lieutenant Ian Edward Fraser
Ian Edward Fraser
Ian Edward Fraser, VC, DSC, RD and Bar, JP , was an English diving pioneer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Fraser was born in Ealing, London and went to school...
the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. From November 1944 to May 1945, Singapore was subjected to bombing raids
Bombing of Singapore (1944–1945)
The Bombing of Singapore was a military campaign conducted by the Allied air forces during World War II. United States Army Air Forces long-range bomber units conducted 11 air raids on Japanese-occupied Singapore between November 1944 and March 1945...
by British and American long-range bomber units.
Syonan Jinjya
The Syonan (Shonan) Shinto Shrine or Syonan Jinja, was built by British prisoners-of-war and the Japanese Army off Adam Road inside the MacRitchie Reservoir area. It was officially unveiled on 10 September 1942. However, the Shrine was demolished immediately after the Japanese surrender with the return of the British forces in 1945. Only remnants of a font and foundation remain. In September 2002, the National Heritage Board marked the shrine's location as a historic site.After the fall of Singapore, General Yamashita in the subsequent months sought to build a memorial for the Japanese troops who had died during the Malayan campaign. British prisoners-of-war interned in the Changi Gaol and troops of the Japanese Army worked together to construct the Shinto Shrine, Syonan Jinja, at MacRitchie Reservoir which stood near the centre of the heat of battle for Singapore. Work on the construction of the shrine had begun as early as April 1942, at the west end of the forest that surrounded MacRitchie Reservoir. The site of the Shrine necessitated the felling of a remarkable patch of original, primeval forest, a great loss to the botanical world.
Halfway through the construction, a Colonel in the Japanese Army suggested a parallel shrine be built for the Allies. With Yamashita's concession, Australian troops were recruited to build the Allied Cross which stood behind the Shinto Shrine. On 10 September, both monuments were unveiled. The Japanese had also built another shrine, the Syonan Chureito off Jalan Sesuai at Bukit Batok.
Immediately after the Japanese Surrender and the return of the British forces in 1945, the Shinto Shrine, the Bukit Batok War Memorial (Syonan Chureito) and the British War Memorial behind it, both located at Upper Bukit Timah Road were demolished by the British forces. The remains of the Japanese were moved to the Japanese cemetery.
Plans to rebuild the memorials to remember both the Japanese and Allied fallen were discussed in the 1990s but were shelved in 1991 because of sensitivities toward those who had suffered under the Japanese. Today, a transmitting tower stands at the site of the original monuments. On 9 July 1995, a plaque was unveiled by MP Ong Chit Chung at the Bukit Batok Nature Park as a memorial instead.
The shrine's design was based on the famed Yasukuni Shrine in Japan. The Yasukuni Shrine dates back to 1869 and has been the resting place for more than 2.466 million Japanese soldiers who died for their country, serving as a national symbol to remember those who died in both World Wars. Reflecting its design, the Shinto shrine was a 12 m (39.4 ft) tall cylindrical wooden pylon, its peak tipped with a brass cone. At the base of the pylon, in a small shed-like shrine were the remains of the fallen Japanese. In front of the monument was a font which visitors would take a sip from using a long-handled ladle. Shinto meaning "the way of the gods" is the native faith of the Japanese and is primarily pantheistic. It is necessary to cleanse oneself before approaching a Shinto Shrine for prayers, thus the provision of the font. A Japanese bridge was built across an arm of the reservoir to bring visitors to the secluded Shrine hidden behind the trees. The Shinto followers believe that "divine spirits" or kami reside in nature and thus the location of the Syonan Shinto Shrine in the midst of the forest.
End of the occupation
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
and Nagasaki
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
. On 8 August 1945, Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki along with the entry of Soviet Union into the war ended the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. By then, the Japanese allowed the Allies to send in forces and food supplies. Prisoners-of-war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
were checked by medical officers and arrangements were made to send them home.
On 15 August, Japan announced its surrender. The formal signing of the surrender instrument was held at City Hall, Singapore
City Hall, Singapore
The City Hall in Singapore is a national monument gazetted on 14 February 1992. Located in front of the historical Padang and next door to the Supreme Court of Singapore, it was designed and built by the architects of the municipal government, A. Gordans and F. D. Meadows from 1926 to 1929...
, then known as "Municipal Hall", on 12 September. This was followed by a celebration at the Padang
Padang, Singapore
The Padang is an open field located within the Downtown Core of the Central Area in Singapore, at the heart of Singapore's central business district. It was formerly known as the Padang Cricket Ground...
, which included a victory parade. Lord Louis Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, Supreme Allied Commander
Supreme Allied Commander
Supreme Allied Commander is the title held by the most senior commander within certain multinational military alliances. It originated as a term used by the Western Allies during World War II, and is currently used only within NATO. Dwight Eisenhower served as Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary...
of South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
, came to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi. A British military administration utilizing surrendered Japanese troops as security forces was formed to govern the island until March 1946.
After the Japanese surrender, there was a state of anomie
Anomie
Anomie is a term meaning "without Law" to describe a lack of social norms; "normlessness". It describes the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and their community ties, with fragmentation of social identity and rejection of self-regulatory values. It was popularized by French...
in Singapore, as the British had not yet arrived to take control. The Japanese occupiers had a considerably weakened hold over the populace. There were widespread incidents of looting
Looting
Looting —also referred to as sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation, and pillaging—is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting...
and revenge-killing. Much of the infrastructure had been wrecked, including the harbour facilities and electricity, water supply, and telephone services. It took four or five years for the economy to return to pre-war levels. When British troops finally arrived they met with cheering and fanfare.
Banana money became worthless after the occupation ended. Many individuals who had acquired their wealth through banana currency were rendered penniless overnight.
Popular culture
- TV series adaptations
} The Heroes (1988), An Australian-British co-productionhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095297/
} Heroes II: The Return (1991), An Australian Miniserieshttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099765/
} The Last Rhythm (1996), Television Corporation of Singapore
Television Corporation of Singapore
Television Corporation of Singapore was a private company that provide television broadcasting services in then monopolised media industry. TCS existed from 1 October 1994 to 11 February 2001; Singapore Broadcasting Corporation was privatised on 1 October 1994 at 00:00 am...
} The Price of Peace
The Price of Peace
The Price of Peace is a Singaporean World War II period drama television series first run on TCS Eighth Frequency on 30 June 1997. Although the series was originally in Mandarin, an English dubbed version was also broadcast on TCS Fifth Frequency in 1999. The drama was rerun in 2007 on MediaCorp...
(1997), Television Corporation of Singapore
Television Corporation of Singapore
Television Corporation of Singapore was a private company that provide television broadcasting services in then monopolised media industry. TCS existed from 1 October 1994 to 11 February 2001; Singapore Broadcasting Corporation was privatised on 1 October 1994 at 00:00 am...
} A War Diary
A War Diary
A War Diary was a Singapore English television series produced by Dream Forest Productions in 2001. It was aired on MediaCorp TV Channel 5. A total of 20 episodes were released...
(2001), MediaCorp TV (Singapore)
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
} In Pursuit of Peace
In Pursuit of Peace
In Pursuit of Peace is a Singaporean Mandarin Chinese-language World War II period drama television series. The series was first run on the Chinese-language TCS 8th Frequency from 9 March to 11 May 2001 on Friday nights...
(2001), MediaCorp TV (Singapore)
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
} Changi (2001), Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
- Film adaptations
}Minami Jujisei (The Southern Cross also known as The Highest Honour and Heroes of the Krait) (1982), A Japanese-Australian co-production http://www.allmovie.com/work/minami-jujisei-157620http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/354643
List of monuments and historical sites
- Civilian War MemorialCivilian War MemorialThe Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation, usually called the Civilian War Memorial is one of Singapore's most famous iconic landmarks of heritage....
- Kranji War Memorial and CemeteryKranji War MemorialThe Kranji War Memorial is located at 9 Woodlands Road, in Kranji in northern Singapore. Dedicated to the men and women from United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, India, Malaya, the Netherlands and New Zealand who died defending Singapore and Malaya against the invading Japanese forces...
- Changi Chapel and Museum
- YMCA on Orchard RoadKempeitai East District BranchThe Kempeitai East District Branch was the headquarters of the Japanese military police force, the much feared Kempeitai during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. It was located at the old YMCA building, at the present site of Singapore's YMCA on Stamford Road...
- Alexandra Hospital groundsAlexandra HospitalAlexandra Hospital is a 400-bed hospital located in the south-western part of Singapore. Nestled in a 110,000 square metre land, the hospital is a picture of tranquil setting, lined with mostly colonial style buildings built since the late 1930s...
- Old Ford Motor FactoryOld Ford Motor FactoryThe Old Ford Motor Factory is a historic building in Singapore, located along Upper Bukit Timah Road.-History:The factory is the site of the historic surrender of the British to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, at the end of the Battle of Singapore in World War II...
See also
- History of SingaporeHistory of SingaporeThe history of Singapore dates to the 11th century. The island rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Acehnese raiders in 1613. The modern history of Singapore began in 1819 when Englishman...
- Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and SarawakJapanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and SarawakThroughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
- Japanese occupation of Hong KongJapanese occupation of Hong KongThe Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
- Bombing of Singapore (1944–1945)Bombing of Singapore (1944–1945)The Bombing of Singapore was a military campaign conducted by the Allied air forces during World War II. United States Army Air Forces long-range bomber units conducted 11 air raids on Japanese-occupied Singapore between November 1944 and March 1945...
External links
- Fall of Malaya and Singapore A detailed history of the Battle of Singapore.